Plastic bottles are recyclable at curbside and drop-off locations throughout Florida.
The latest data from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection estimates the 2020 recycling rate for plastic bottles in Florida at 7%.
Tips for plastic bottle recycling
Prepare Bottles – Rinse bottles and remove the labels before placing them in a recycle bin.
Only Buy Recyclable Items – When purchasing a product, check the number on the bottom of the container to make sure your municipality can recycle it. If not, look for a recyclable alternative. The arrows on the bottom of the bottle can be misleading, causing consumers to think the item is recyclable. This is not the case. All plastic containers are required to be marked with the chasing arrows, but only the number indicates whether the item can be recycled.
Source Reduction – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency encourages consumers to reduce use of goods that require waste disposal. This saves natural resources, reduces toxic waste from production and disposal, and saves money for communities, businesses and consumers. Stainless steel water bottles are recommended as alternatives to disposable plastic containers. They are durable, do not leach into the water and help reduce the amount of waste.
Check the Number – The bottom of each plastic water bottle should have a number inside chasing arrows that indicates the type of plastic used in the production process. Most beverage and water bottles are made from No. 1 PET (polyethylene terephthalate). Recycling centers vary in the types of plastic they can process. Contact your county recycling coordinator to determine the plastics accepted for recycling in your area, and place only bottles with those designated numbers in your recycle bin. Adding bottles with other numbers only increases the workload of the recycling municipalities.
If you have questions or concerns about plastic bottle recycling in your area, please contact your county recycling coordinator or visit their website.